Journal

One of my favorite states in the United States is California. More specifically – Northern California. I visited San Francisco and the area around it so many times that I almost feel at home there! The beauty of this region is well known. You can find here everything from great Californian wine and wineries to red woods, rocks, great surfing, and cold but amazingly beautiful Pacific Ocean. Colors, flavors, people, and scenery are worth a long flight from Europe or East coast of the USA.

This photo report is done in May and looking at it I still have these scenic places in front of my eyes as if I was there just a second ago.

My visit to Hakone Japanese garden in Saratoga was a very peaceful event. It was almost empty and I had tons of time to find the best places to be photographed. It was built in 1917 by Oliver and Isabel Stine. They were inspired by the 1915 Pan Pacific Exposition which prompted them to sail to Japan. It has lanterns, gardens of various styles that are typical for such place. It is considered the oldest Japanese Estate Garden and Asian Retreat Center in the Western Hemisphere.

Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park – I took redwood grove nature trail and walked around the giants! It is hard to render the size and height of these tree monsters on a photo. You always need a person to stand close by to show how tall they really are! Amazing air, soft and young green grass and leafs, and aroma of sequoias are unforgettable! The tallest tree in this park is around 82 meters tall and over 5 meters wide. It is almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty.

California State Railroad Museum in Old Sacramento State Historic Park – it houses more than 20 restored locomotives and railroad cars. It’s heaven for everyone who is curious about the history of mobility in the United States and is fascinated by old trains. It all started with the discovery of gold in Coloma, the Sierra Nevada foothills.

Oops, lost my mind, lost my hand 🙂

17-Mile Drive, Pebble Beach and California State Route 1 – breathtaking view of Monterey Bay and the Santa Cruz mountains, unique offshore turbulence generated by the submerged terrain off Point Joe, seals and their puppies, Monterey cypresses, etc. etc. etc… Simply said – you cannot get enough of these views especially if the nature is giving you such dramatic light as I had it during my visit.

The Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur

McWay Falls (or tidefalls) in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Hilly and crooked streets, master drivers who are not afraid to park across the impossible-steep hills, wonderful and innovative restaurants, Nob and Telegraph Hills, Alcatraz, Golden Gate bridge, China Town, and cable cars. This is all about San Francisco!

Some views of northern part of California, closer to the Redwood National Park.